Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” is a very dark, complex and cynical play written during the reign of King James in the time of Jacobean England. There are many events that occur that will have readers react in many ways and form new opinions while reading, especially with Macbeth’s character. Readers can automatically tell that Macbeth is a very dynamic character because of him in the beginning , describes as honorable and brave, in contrast to how he was in the end, described as cruel and ruthless. However, the remaining question is whether or not he is reprehensible for his actions or is he the victim of his outcome. Macbeth would be more of the victim of his own villainy because even though he did have other outside urges pushing him to do things …show more content…
After Lady Macbeth’s constant pressing, Macbeth didn’t stop the killing. Even after Duncan’s death he still ensured that “it is concluded. Banquo, thy soul’s flight, if it find heaven, must it find out tonight.” (3.1.161-162). It was said that Banquo would bear a line of kings so Macbeth kills him in order to confirm that Banquo’s sons don’t take Macbeth out of power. But even Lady Macbeth, the one who persuaded him a first, said it herself “our desire is got without content tis safer to be that which we destroy than by destruction dwell in doubtful joy” (3.2.7-9). This shows how Macbeth can be considered the villain because he still goes ahead in killing others, even when the one who gave most pressure to start this mess, has given up. Furthermore, he also, later on, is motivated to kill Macduff. After he went to the witches for a second time he was informed to “beware Macduff. Beware the Thane of Fife” (4.1.81-82). With this, Macbeth responds with “I’ll make assurance double sure, and take a bond of fate. Thou shalt not live” (4.1.94-95). This farther supports how Macbeth is a villain since he had many opportunities to stop the madness but he instead built up
Macbeth shows his desire for power, he was friendly to Banquo before he became the king, but after he became the king, he let three murderers to kill Banquo and his son. “So is he mine, and is such bloody distance That every minute of his being thrusts against my near ‘st of life”(3.1 line 116-118). Macbeth sent three murderers to kill Banquo and his son since they ran away. All he thinks about is to kill more people in order to gain more power. Macbeth didn’t just kill Banquo only, he also killed Macduff’s whole family. “Murderer. What your egg! Stabbing him. Young fry of treachery! Son. He has killed me, mother: Run away, I pray you”(4.3 line 84-87). He killed Macduff’s whole family, he just wanted to make sure he doesn’t lose his power, so he just killed anyone who against him, he’s obsessed with his power, he never cares about breaking other people’s family.
The Tragedy of Macbeth details the downfall of the tragic hero, Macbeth, and is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous works of tragedy. Macbeth’s bloody murders and eventual descent into complete madness serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of uncontrolled ambitions in humanity. Macbeth may not be held responsible for the death of Duncan and Macduff’s family, but he should be for that of Banquo’s. It is definitely arguable that Macbeth is the cause behind the death of Duncan, Banquo and Macduff’s family; however, the influence of others and his mental instability greatly reshaped his persona, as such, Macbeth cannot always be held responsible for his actions.
Shakespeare’s play ‘Macbeth’ is about the leading male protagonist succumbing to his ambition and need for power. Though Macbeth is liable for his own actions, he is not solely responsible for the events that eventually result in his downfall. Macbeth is corrupted by his wife, Lady Macbeth, as well as the three weird sisters. Macbeth’s contribution towards his downfall is his strong ambitious nature. Lady Macbeth is the person who induces Macbeth to assassinate King Duncan. The three weird sisters (witches) play with Macbeth’s ambitious nature and sense of security. Macbeth’s downfall is due to himself and two external factors.
William Shakespeare’s Macbeth is a tragedy in which the main characters are obsessed by the desire for power. Macbeth’s aspiration for power blinds him to the ethical implications of his dreadful acts. The more that Shakespeare’s Macbeth represses his murderous feelings, the more he is haunted by them. By analyzing his hallucinations it is possible to trace his deteriorating mental state and the trajectory of his ultimate fall. Throughout the play Macbeth is never satisfied with himself. He feels the need to keep committing crime in order to keep what he wants most: his kingship. The harder Macbeth tries to change his fate the more he tends to run into his fate. His ambition and struggle for power was Macbeth’s tragic flaw in the play.
In William Shakespeare’s Macbeth the reader watches as Macbeth changes gradually as the play endures. He are transforms from a loyal person with a loving and loyal disposition with other people, into a tyrants who are willing to kill in order to keep himself on the throne. He is tormented with fear, regret, and guilt. When someone does something they know is wrong it causes them to fall prey to their own emotions.
In the play, “Macbeth”, the character that stands out the most is Lady Macbeth. Her role in this story is significant, she is an evil, ruthless, and ambitious person. She is responsible for the murders that her husband commits because she was bloodthirsty for the crown. In fact, she then becomes more eager to get the crown than Macbeth himself and soon realizes that once you commit one violent act, there is almost no way of ever turning back. An analysis of Lady Macbeth reveals that she is a powerful character who adds complexity and depth to a play about murder, madness, and revenge.
Many of people have heard the tragedy of Macbeth by William Shakespeare. The story revolves on a sequence of misfortunate events that take place when Macbeth makes immoral decisions to be king. In the play, Shakespeare shows how power can cause corruption in a human’s brain. Macbeth himself was not a very confident person, though he had a kind soul to begin with, he was easily influenced and gullible. Through the prophecies of the evil beings, an insignificant seed was planted in Macbeth. That spark of wealth and fortune caused the tyrant within him to awake. Which eventually lead to his fatal death. His ambition lead him to murder, go insane and become very superstitious.
in all purity. This is mainly due to the fact that he was willing to
The dark aura surrounding Shakespeare's Macbeth is well deserved, as is the darkness shrouding its title character. Although Macbeth is certainly a villainous, evil man based solely on his actions, a fuller examination of his character's portrayal leads to a more sympathetic view of him. The play does not portray Macbeth simply as a cold-blooded murderer, but rather as a tortured soul attempting to deal with the atrocities surrounding him.
‘Macbeth’ is a play by William Shakespeare that shows a protagonist going from bad to worse throughout the play. Shakespeare wrote this play, taking in mind current affairs at the time of 1603-1606. This is the time when a Scottish king, James I was given the English crown. This king was obsessed with witches, so Shakespeare brought this theme strongly into the play. It also brings the theme of treachery towards the King. This pleased King James and also pleased him about showing the line of Stuart Kings, James descendants, in Act 4, Scene 1.
Although William Shakespeare created the play, Macbeth, to be a tragedy, the tragic hero can hardly be considered to be one. For the entirety of one of Shakespeare’s most magnificent works, Macbeth is controlled and manipulated into committing atrocious acts that the witches and his wife desire. He is powerless to their tricks and through their sorcery/cunning words and his own morals (or lack thereof) “sustain[s] the central paradox–the heroic murderer” (Cusick). Despite the fact that he laments the loss of his king, Duncan, he still continues down his path of evil that only has one ending: his death. Although Macbeth gains a few insights on his inner self, his lack of ability to resist manipulation, willingness to kill, combined with his
In the play “Macbeth”, William Shakespeare uses belief in the existence and power of witches to create and influence the audience’s understanding of the play. Our initial impression of Macbeth is one of a brave and capable warrior, however once we see his interaction with the three “evil sisters” (Shakespeare, 1996) we realises that his physical audacity is coupled by an intense amount of ambition and self doubt. It is believed that the witches are the motive behind this ambition which eventually leads to his tragedy, however strong diverging arguments are in existence. The intensity of Macbeth’s tragedy is dependent on whether or not the witches are “professed to be able to control the naïve, innocent Macbeth” or whether he is to blame
Whether it is the protagonist herself or the journey from ashes to glory, the fairytale of Cinderella has stolen the hearts of many. However, the role of Cinderella in this fantasy is in question. Is she a worthless victim waiting to be rescued by a handsome hero? Or is she an abused heroine who overcomes her obstacles by taking the situation into her own hands? Madonna Kolbenschlag, a feminist critic, and Bruno Bettelheim, a Freudian psychologist and educator, answer these questions differently. In “A Feminist’s View of ‘Cinderella,” Kolbenschlag argues that Cinderella, in her degraded state, assumes the roles of traditional female socialization: worthless beings in need of rescuing. On the other hand, Bettelheim’s article “Cinderella: A Story of Sibling Rivalry and Oedipal Conflicts” disputes that Cinderella’s actions – being complacent with her mistreatment, but eventually rising from her predicament – are commendable. Even though these articles have a different focus, both authors are certain that the character of Cinderella has made a lasting impact on its readers.
The play examines the effects of evil on Macbeth’s character and on his subsequent moral behavior. The later murders flow naturally out of the first. Evil breeds evil because Macbeth, to protect himself and consolidate his position, is forced to murder again (Harbage, 1963). Successively, he kills Banquo, attempts to murder Fleance, and brutally exterminates Macduff’s family. As his crimes increase, Macbeth’s freedom seems to decrease, but his moral responsibility does not. His actions become more cold-blooded as his options disappear. Shakespeare does not allow Macbeth any moral excuses. The dramatist is aware of the notion that any action performed makes it more likely that the person will perform other such actions. The operation of this phenomenon is apparent as Macbeth finds it increasingly easier to rise to the gruesome occasion. However, the dominant inclination never becomes a total determinant of behavior, so Macbeth does not have the excuse of loss of free will. It does however become ever more difficult to break the chain of events that are rushing him toward moral and physical destruction.
Throughout the play of Macbeth, the reader can see a decay of morals in the two main characters, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. As the characters grow more brutal, the need for a harsh punishment grows with them. Though they do receive retribution, Macbeth’s does not fit his crime. Because of Macbeth’s lack of remorse along with the amount of blood on his hands, he deserves a harsher punishment than Lady Macbeth, who only directly contributed to one murder.